Google Earth Outreach Announcement Video

June 28, 2007

You can now watch the video Google recorded of the announcement of the new Google Earth Outreach program which was done at the New York City Google Earth office on Tuesday:

I especially enjoyed the part where Jane Goodall was speaking to us via satellite and especially when she shared the chimpanzee greeting to us all. You can read my notes from the announcement here. Also, I recommend you read the official Google blog post about the new Outreach program by its new manager Rebecca Moore.

About Frank Taylor

Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was released. He worked in 3D graphics for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank left in 2009 to circumnavigate the earth by sailboat as part of the Tahina Expedition.

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That was perhaps the best, and longest, early morning coffee-break I’ve taken in quite some time. Thank you to Frank, and to Google for sharing this video footage with us.
I feel that I would be dishonest if I didn’t at least admit to having become a little emotional while watching this – admittedly having tears in my eyes at one point. That said, I’d like to at least comment on the aspects of this dialogue and some of the things I noted in my own mind.
Seeing this panel and presentation of all involved is an emotional ‘thing’ for me, primarily because of a dream. A dream that developed into a passion – and mainly a hope – that the values I was taught as a young child in science class would come to fruition within my lifetime. An establishment of an awareness unlike anything we’d ever seen, and brought about by seachanges made in how we share our intellectual resources and data with each other – and mostly, in how that information is disseminated to provide profound and reaching benefit to society and the masses.
It’s happening. It’s finally, and most elegantly happening. An outreach in a way that crystallizes the notion that we can all share and communicate in a way that isn’t within the context of a White Paper – that transcends the neediness of individual notarity toward publishing (and the yearning for promotional credit and intellectual property pats on the back) – and busts through those barriers in a way that’s transparent, and of good intention.
I did sense the irony, or at least the tension, that still exists by experts and what’s been acheived. I only come away with questions in that regard. To what reasons did you become fascinated in science? Was it to publish a White Paper, or was it to hopefully help to change the world, and the way in which we as humanity see the world and empower others to make change for the greater good?
I can’t help but think of someone like Steve Ballmer – who has quite openly stated that he enforces that his own children or anyone at Microsoft NOT use Google products. Thus, in knowing that he’s taken this approach, what does this really say about his mentality? What good is it to not acknowledge the usefulness and transparency that’s evident in such a tool, if we wish to continue to conduct ourselves in such competitive, and mainly shallow terms? I see no difference in the types of competitiveness between the scientific community vying for academic or professional recognition, as I do with a company hell bent on raising their share price.
Without ellaborating on such a rant of judgement – I would like to at least point out, or ask the question – why is it, do you think, that Ms. Jane Goodall has become so legendary in her field? Was it because she’s written papers and books of her work? Is that the reason she’s been given so many awards and gained the adoring respect of scientists and society worldwide? Or is it because she’s a selfless creature – only wanting nothing more than to change this world for the better? And in such a transparent, and humble way, might I add.
I probably have more to add, but I’d rather not soak up all of Frank’s real estate here. I was simply moved by this session – and I hope that it’s allowed others to think, with a little more clarity, with a little more introspection – about what’s possible, and how we can change this world to something we all dream it can become.
This is a part of that dream, for me, that is coming true – through the work that Google and everyone involved in shaping this technology moving forward.
(As far as a pixel goes? Instinctually, we all wish to view ourselves locally first in this application (“Hey, look, it’s my house – and that’s where I went to highschool!”). Once you’ve worked out such pixel relative association – it doesn’t take very long to begin to see the bigger picture elsewhere within the same application.)

Yesterday only my friend called and asked what is google earth, i laughed and then said, “well you can see earth images using it”. He then asked , “are they live” i said no and he got disappointed.. probably he must be thinking of software as seen on MIB movie.

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